Justifiable Measures
by seegrim
Summary: A Ministry election finds Draco and Ginny positioned against each other once again.


Ginny Weasley sat in an imposingly large Ministry conference room and wondered why someone like Gideon Morrow would even waste

Ginny Weasley sat in an imposingly large Ministry conference room and wondered why someone like Gideon Morrow would even waste money on a publicist. At twenty-five, Ginny was content with her career as a publicist, and she was proud of her body of work. People could rely on her to show the world their best side, even when they had other facets of their personality that weren't so stellar... But Morrow was the man-who-could-do-no-wrong, in every sense of the word. The papers loved him; the Wireless was constantly singing his praises. His wife was beautiful, intelligent and articulate, having served as a Ministry Ambassador before their beautiful twin daughters were born. Ginny had never seen a more gorgeous family.

She sipped idly from a glass of water and tried to ignore the fidgeting of Richard Halifax, campaign manager to the Minister of Magic hopeful and all-around neurotic. They were waiting to meet with the man himself, and his retinue, to discuss plans for the upcoming election.

The door opened, and Mr. Morrow strode confidently into the room. He was tall and dark-haired, and Ginny was certain his teeth were actually gleaming. He was trailed by his entourage, and they took their seats on the opposite side of the table from Ginny and Richard.

"Miss Weasley," Gideon began, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've not only seen your work, but I've heard great things about you personally, and I'm excited for this opportunity to work with you." He smiled broadly across the table at her.

"Thank you, Mr. Morrow. I'm honored that you thought of me," Ginny said, returning his smile.

He outlined his platform, mostly for Ginny's benefit, and by the end of the meeting, she felt sorry for anyone who tried to compete against him. He was handsome, honest, compassionate towards those who were less fortunate, aware of the more pressing issues in Wizarding society and very competent. He was a sure thing, a hard working dedicated politician all wrapped up in a pretty package. Ginny smiled. This was going to be way too easy.

It was the next morning as she sat at her kitchen table reading the _Daily Prophet_ that she saw who would be running against Gideon. She did a double take and had to read the words again, and had it not been for a large picture, she would have thought it was a mistake. But there it was in the caption, underneath Draco's pale face: _Mr. Draco Malfoy, of Wiltshire, England, announces his candidacy for Minister!_

"No way," she muttered.

For as much as Draco Malfoy had done to construct himself into a legitimate, respectable businessman, it was still a shock to see someone she had once held in such contempt running for the most prestigious public office in the Wizarding world.

She pored over the article, wondering how he could possibly think that someone like himself could appeal to the masses. Back in school, he'd been an arrogant prig who gloated about his Pureblood status. How could he hope to represent the entire Wizarding world, not just those who were Purebloods?

She read on, confused. From his quotes included in the article, she wasn't able to discern any of his old disdain for Muggleborns or those without obscene amounts of money. She decided that it was an easy thing to say; words were cheap. She curled up the newspaper and tossed it into the rubbish bin with a snort.

Anyone who was _anyone_ in Wizarding society had received an invitation from Malfoy Campaign Headquarters. Ginny stared at the invitation on her desk, and picked it up a bit timidly, as if it would bite her. She slid one of her fingers underneath the wax seal to break it, wincing as she received a nasty paper cut. _It figures,_ she thought.

Unfolding the invitation, she read that there was to be a luncheon held at Malfoy Manor, introducing Draco Malfoy and offering a chance to get to know the candidate. Ginny smiled as she realized this was the ideal opportunity for her to learn what her client was up against.

The day of the luncheon arrived and she dressed with more care than usual, choosing a smart black suit and black heels. She hadn't seen Malfoy in going on eight years, and she wasn't going to give him a reason to point out any of her flaws. She styled her hair carefully, pinned it back into a French knot and slipped on small tasteful earrings.

She arrived at Malfoy Manor at half noon and was greeted at the door by an uptight-looking house-elf who showed her into the grand hall where guests were talking and mingling. Ginny accepted a glass of champagne from a waiter and walked over to the fireplace, sipping at her drink while admiring the room. Dark walnut-panelled walls met the parquet floor and elegant ceiling to floor draperies hung on tall windows; it seemed as if Lucius Malfoy being in Azkaban for the last eight years hadn't put a dent in the Malfoy family fortune. Although Lucius had abandoned his post as a Death Eater before Voldemort fell, he still was put on trial for his earlier crimes and was made to be held accountable. It had been evident that Draco Malfoy had never taken the Mark, so along with other children of Death Eaters who were unblemished, he had escaped public condemnation.

Ginny continued her tour about the room, only stopping when she came to a portrait of the Malfoys that had obviously been painted before Draco had left for Hogwarts. He was sitting in between his parents, a smug, self-satisfied smile on his pre-adolescent face. It was evident to Ginny that Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were proud of Draco, and that he was dearly loved. She looked up at that thought, in time to see Narcissa float through the room, ethereal looking in a shimmering silver dress. _They had obviously been a happy family despite his father's leanings,_ she thought. Her eyes drifted back to young Draco, and she examined his angular features.

"It's a good thing I finally grew into that awkward face, wouldn't you agree?" a deep voice said from over her shoulder.

Startled, Ginny quickly turned around to face the owner of the voice. She took a few steps back, leaning against a table by the wall. "Malfoy," she said, her voice neutral as she forced herself to flash him a polite smile. "The years have been kind to you, I see." She chided herself on her choice of words.

"The same is true of you, Miss Weasley," he replied. He stood tall, looking splendid in a black suit and blue silk tie. "But please, call me Draco. I'd like to think the childishness I exhibited at Hogwarts can be something I left there." He nodded as he added, "Although you probably should be aware you're about to knock over a vase that costs more Galleons than you'll earn in a lifetime."

Ginny looked down, chagrined to find that Draco was right. "Well, then," she said acerbically. "There's the _Draco_ I remember from Hogwarts. I see the years really haven't changed you all that much."

"And why fix something that's not broken?" He quirked an eyebrow. "But certainly you didn't come here for me to insult you?" he asked. "There must be something else I can do for you?"

"Actually, I'm interested to know why you're running for Minister," she asked, meeting his eyes.

"To end hunger," he began, "and to champion the down-trodden." He appeared to be lost in thought for a moment. "To promote equality amongst all wizards," he added.

"Malfoy, in case you didn't get the memo, I'm a politician, too. What's the real answer, not the one you use because it tracks well with your target demographic?"

He looked intently into her eyes, and she had the thought that she wouldn't like to try to lie to him; he'd see through it instantly with those piercing eyes. It was a relief when he looked away, focusing on the portrait with the same intensity that he'd looked at her. "My family... You can see what happens when one man gains too much control. Gideon Morrow would run over the Wizengamot with a blinding smile and they'd smile back as they handed him the keys to the kingdom. They'd fight me, so what would come out of my term would be genuinely democratic, which is always the best way of deciding what's for the greater good."

Ginny's eyes widened at Malfoy's comment. She supposed Draco did have a point, but that would never happen with someone like Gideon.

He turned back to face her and gave a familiar smirk. "Or it's all a big scheme for the betterment of my family. I am a Slytherin, you know."

Ginny smiled wryly. "I haven't forgotten that for a moment."

Draco chuckled. "It was nice seeing you again." He offered her his hand, and hesitantly she shook it, confused at the way her heart thudded against her ribcage as she did so.

"It was," she affirmed.

The photo shoot with the Morrow family was scheduled for later in the day, and Ginny was looking forward to meeting his wife and children. They seldom appeared in public, not that Ginny could blame them. She could only imagine what it was like to have the kind of popularity that they must. She arrived at their house, which was just as perfect as everything else about the Morrows; it was a large estate just outside London, with beautifully manicured lawns and a large, ornate fountain in the front courtyard.

She was let into the home by Mr. Morrow's personal assistant, William, who led her to the sitting room where the family was being photographed by Ginny's associate. Ginny had requested that the Morrows wear casual clothes, and Gideon had complied, wearing a white oxford, sans tie, with khaki pants. Ginny felt it would help the average citizen to relate to Gideon--seeing him comfortable at home with his family.

Mrs. Morrow walked happily over to Ginny with her daughters in tow. "I'm Beatrice," she said with a large smile as she extended her hand to Ginny.

Ginny shook her hand and was startled when Beatrice gasped in pain. "Oh, I'm sorry," Ginny offered quickly.

"Oh, bother. I twisted my wrist again gardening. No worries," she said dismissively. "Anyway, it's a joy to finally meet you. I've seen your work, and I wanted to tell you that I respect the way you do your job." She paused for a moment, and Ginny was about to thank her when Mrs. Morrow raised her head and started speaking again. "You're always positive, never attacking people with smears or negativity. It's exactly what we want for my husband's campaign."

"Thank you, Mrs. Morrow. Gideon is making it very easy for me to do my job," Ginny answered.

Beatrice gestured to the twin girls hiding, quite literally, behind her skirt. "This is Abigail," she said as she pulled one of the girls to her side. "And this is Emma," she said as soon as she managed to pry the other girl out of her skirts.

Ginny knelt down and smiled at the girls. They had curly blonde hair and looked like life-sized porcelain dolls. "Hi," she said to them, "I'm Ginny."

They giggled and, one at a time, shyly smiled back at her. "You're pretty," Abigail said softly.

"You are," Emma agreed, giggling.

"Thank you. You both are beautiful," Ginny told the twins.

Gideon looked up from his conversation with his assistant. "Beatrice, dear, the photographer's not done," he called sternly.

"Some other time then," Beatrice said demurely and made her way back to her husband.

The weeks passed in rapid succession as Ginny tracked the race for Minister closely. Besides distributing pictures of Gideon with his family and volunteering at St. Euphemia's Home for the Less Fortunate, not much more was required of her, other than releasing weekly updates on his acts of charity and kindness.

Draco's publicist was doing a stand-up job. He had shown how Draco had been successful as a businessman, doubling the Malfoy holdings, and contributing millions of Galleons to the Ministry and various charities in an attempt to convince people there was more to the Malfoy name than discriminating against Muggleborns and Eating Death. Draco had even appeared in articles in _Witch Weekly_ and _The Daily Prophet_ in an attempt to show the more endearing side of his personality. If her candidate weren't so far ahead of Malfoy in the ratings, she might have been nervous as she flipped through the papers.

Ginny grinned the day she saw the pictures in _The Daily Prophet_ of Draco visiting St. Mungo's. Draco had been at Mungo's to preside over the dedication of the new Malfoy wing and he had stopped by the children's floor to pass out toys and visit with the children. She was certain it had been his publicist's idea, but Draco had definitely taken the idea and made it his own. There was only one picture of him standing impeccably dressed in front of a small crowd, cutting through a ceremonial ribbon with the tip of his wand, but there were several pictures of him sitting on the floor, his shirt sleeves rolled up, children in various states of play around him, crawling on him, and sitting on his lap.

Both candidates were invited to speak briefly at the yearly Ministry fundraising gala. When Ginny had contacted Gideon's assistant, William, regarding the invitation, she had come up against resistance. "I know Gideon's leading in the polls," she had told him, "but it's another opportunity to show that he cares, and a public appearance with his wife and children would all but secure his victory. Not to mention, Draco Malfoy will be there, and it'll reflect poorly upon Gideon if he isn't." Of course William had relented when he heard that, and promised her that Gideon would be in attendance.

The night of the dinner, Ginny found herself seated at a table with a group of her colleagues. The general consensus of the group was that while Draco wasn't bad as a candidate, against Gideon he paled in comparison. There were several dissenters among the group who favored Draco, and Ginny began to wonder what they were seeing that she didn't.

Before dinner was to be served, both Gideon and Draco would have an opportunity to address the audience. Ginny smiled when she saw Abigail and Emma sitting between Beatrice and Gideon. The Minister rose and introduced the candidates, and then Gideon and Draco each spoke briefly. Ginny was surprised when Draco received about the same amount of applause after his words as Gideon had.

An elaborate dinner was served, which Ginny decided, for a hundred Galleons a plate, was appropriate. It was after dessert had been served, and people were starting to move to the dance floor, that Ginny stood up and was immediately accosted by Draco.

"Miss Weasley," he said with a curt smile. "I'd like to dance with you, if you're willing."

She glanced looked at his outstretched hand, wondering what the protocol was for dancing with your boss' opponent.

"It won't get you in trouble, if that's what you're afraid of," he offered.

Ginny reached for his hand, and was immediately pulled in towards Draco's chest.

"I'll give you a week, Ginny. That's how long I'll wait before I let my publicist leak the details about the Morrow family. No longer," Draco said abruptly. His harsh words were in sharp contrast to his fluid movements as he twirled them about the ballroom.

Ginny stumbled midstep, surprised and confused at Draco's comment. His strong arms steadied her and pulled her closer to him even as she looked up at his expectant face, disbelief etched on hers. "I'm not quite sure I understand what it is that you're referring to," she said calmly.

Draco eyed Ginny skeptically. "Mrs. Morrow, and to a lesser extent, the two Morrow children, exhibit the symptoms of repeated Obliviation. Surely you're not so woefully unobservant that you didn't notice?"

Ginny stopped dancing altogether. "What?" she asked dumbly, her eyes wide in disbelief.

Draco smirked. "Wow. I've never quite seen it done that way--denial. You've obviously had practice."

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about, and I won't stand here one moment longer and listen to the Morrows be maligned like this." She stepped back from him and was in the process of ordering a drink from the bar when he appeared again beside her.

"Wait," he said, his tone contrite now. "Hear me out. I thought you knew."

She allowed him to steer her by her elbow out to the lounge where the people were sparse. "You thought I knew what, exactly? And be brief, please, my patience is dwindling." She sat down on a sofa and eyed him wearily when he sat next to her.

Draco passed his piercing gaze over Ginny, searching for the truth behind her words, holding her gaze until he was satisfied. "I don't know if you noticed, but I was seated beside Mrs. Morrow. Several times during the course of brief chat she lost her train of thought and slipped back to the beginning of our conversation as if the last minute hadn't occurred. When it happened the third time, _Gideon_," Draco said his name with contempt, "made the feeble excuse that she wasn't feeling well and should have stayed home."

Ginny sat quietly, not sure what to say. "So she forgot what she was saying. It happens all the time, especially when people are under pressure in a social setting. She was probably nervous."

"Does that sound like the Beatrice Morrow who served as the Ministry's Ambassador to France and Germany for five years before the birth of her daughters, Ginny?" he asked her quietly.

"No, I suppose it doesn't," Ginny whispered.

"And the worst part is that it happened several times when her daughters were talking to each other during dinner. I pretended not to notice, but something is happening to them, something horrid enough to require Obliviation. I'm not saying that Gideon Morrow is the one doing it, but either way, he's a pathetic excuse for a man and a father. He's either responsible, or he's unaware. I don't know which alternative is more distasteful to me."

Ginny gaped at Draco, and she tried to hide the trembling of her hands. Several things began to make sense to her. Gideon seldom allowed public appearances involving his family, but she had just assumed he was protecting his family's privacy. _Dear God,_ she thought. _What if he's only protecting himself?_ Her stomach churned and she felt dizzy; she had to get away. "Excuse me," she told Draco. She stood up, and heading for the cloak check, she retrieved her wrap and Apparated to her flat.

She tossed, turned and fretted far more than she slept that night. As much as she didn't want to believe it, she knew what Draco had told her was the truth. She thought of sweet, kind Mrs. Morrow and chills ran up her spine. The poor woman didn't even realize what she was being forced to endure! And the sweet little girls? Ginny just barely made it to the loo before she became ill.

The next week passed faster than Ginny could ever remember. The election was in two weeks time and Ginny didn't doubt that Draco was going to go public with his information. It was in his best interest; if she admitted the truth to herself, it was in everyone's best interest. Especially the children. She would have to come forward; it was as simple as that.

Except that Draco pulled the carpet out from under her and allowed his publicist to leak the story to the press a day before the week was over. Ginny was called to Gideon's home via an urgent Floo call from his assistant

"Please, you've got to come quick," he implored. "I've never seen Gideon so _emotional._ Everyone's here. We need to decide how we're going to respond to this."

"I'll be right there," she said.

The mood at Gideon's was tense, and Gideon was withdrawn, sitting at his breakfast nook sipping a cup of coffee. Ginny assembled everyone in the sitting room and told them what she knew, what she suspected.

"I need to speak with him. I'll be back in a moment."

Walking slowly back to the breakfast nook, she heard a quarrel taking place.

"I don't care what you think. If you weren't such an uppity bitch, none of this would have happened. And now I have a house full of my staff members who think I'm some kind of idiot!" he seethed.

Ginny stood by the door, her hand poised on the doorknob, when she heard a crash.

"Gideon, please!" Ginny heard Beatrice wail. "I have no idea what you're talking about, darling!"

A loud slap ripped through the air and Ginny thought she heard the twins crying in the distance. "No," she said softly. She grabbed her wand, pushed the door open, and was met with the sight of Gideon hovering over Beatrice, tears streaming down her face and cowering in the corner, with the twins hiding behind her.

"That's enough, Mr. Morrow," Ginny spat out, her wand trained on his back. "Get away from them or I'll hex you. I mean it!" she added, when he didn't move.

He turned, advancing on Ginny with a snarl on his face. "Who do you think you are? You insignificant piece of trash?" he hissed. "How _dare_ you come into _my_ house and tell me what to do."

Ginny didn't hesitate. "_Stupefy_!" she cried.

Gideon fell backwards and landed on the floor with a satisfying thunk.

Ginny rushed to Beatrice and took her in her arms. After she consoled Beatrice and the girls with soft words and whispers, she spoke with Beatrice, informing her of what the article in the paper had said and Draco's suspicions. Ginny contacted the Ministry and Aurors were dispatched. Gideon was taken away for questioning, but Ginny knew they wouldn't arrest someone that important and influential without more solid evidence.

As she had suspected, Gideon was released later on that day, but Mrs. Morrow and her girls spent the night safely with her sister, who lived nearby and had thought that _something_ wasn't right in her sister's marriage ever since she'd been banned from visiting unannounced.

The next day, Ginny accompanied Mrs. Morrow and her daughters to their appointments at St. Mungo's, where they underwent extensive testing and Draco's suspicions were confirmed. The actual abuse they had suffered was even worse than had been suspected, and the repeated Obliviations had caused extensive damage as well. With proof in hand, Gideon was once more taken in by the Aurors, but this time he was charged, and not eligible for release due to seriousness of the offenses.

After she had seen the Morrows back to the sister's home, Ginny returned to her flat and alternated between fits of rage and moments where she could only cry for what Gideon had put his family through. She was still sobbing when she heard the knock at her door. Hastily blowing her nose, she walked over to the door in her stocking feet and swung it wide open, tissue still in hand.

"Draco!" she said with a sniffle, slightly regretting her cavalier attitude about answering the door while looking like a wreck.

"May I come in?" he asked, his eyes showing a touch of concern.

Ginny stepped aside wordlessly and let him in; leaving him to close the door, she walked back to her sofa in front of the fireplace and sat down.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. He removed his cloak, tossed it over a chair, and sat down next to her on the sofa. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed.

Still dealing with the shock of Draco showing up at her flat, she about jumped out of her skin when she felt his arm snake around her, but it felt nice, so she shut off the logical part of her mind and leaned into him. "I will be," she said. "I owe you thanks for warning me. That was very decent of you."

Draco let out a sharp bark of laughter. "Decent. Yes, that's always been my goal. Very attainable. I think I would have preferred chivalrous, thoughtful or incredibly kind, but I guess a guy has to take what he can get."

Ginny smiled through her rapidly drying tears. "I'm sorry. I'm not myself right now. Thank you, really," she said. "Draco?"

"Hmm?" he asked, now more comfortable on the couch.

"Why are you here?" she asked, finally coming out of her fog, but staying firmly ensconced by his side.

"You don't mince words, do you?" He took one of her hands in his and met her eyes. "I heard you took the Morrows to St. Mungo's." At her inquisitive look he continued, "I've been watching. I wanted to make sure you were alright." He looked down at her hand in his and then back up at her lips. Leaning towards her, he kissed her softly on the forehead, her cheek and then finally on the lips. "I should be going. If you need anything, feel free to owl, alright?"

Not trusting her voice, Ginny simply nodded.

Draco stood up and retrieved his cloak and Disapparated, leaving Ginny happy, although genuinely confused.

Ginny sat sipping her afternoon tea while reading the election results in _The Daily Prophet_. There it was, in large bold letters: _'Draco Malfoy wins a landslide victory!'_ She couldn't help but smile; the better man really had triumphed. Maybe there was more to politics than lies and betrayal. It was a heartening thought.

Ginny attended Draco's swearing in ceremony the next week, after having received a personal invitation. When the festivities were over, he she saw him walking towards her with a smile on his face.

"I have a proposition for you," he said.

Ginny's cheeks pinked. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Work for me?" he asked. "Be the Head of Publicity for the Minstry?"

Her heart dropped into her stomach. "Oh." She forced a smile. "Yes, I'd love to, thanks." What on earth had she been thinking? That his interest in her extended to more than a job offer? _Dumb girl,_ she thought. His kiss had merely been offered out of sympathy, not attraction, and she had been silly enough to mistake the two.

Ginny sat in her lavishly decorated Ministry office a month later, picking at her lunch and thinking about how things might have turned out if Draco hadn't run against Gideon and noticed something was very wrong with his family. She never dreamed that she of all people would be having a 'Thank Merlin for Draco Malfoy' moment. But she was, and thanks to him, Gideon Morrow was scheduled to appear before the Wizengamot for crimes against his wife and children. With all the evidence that the healers at St. Mungo's had been able to retrieve from Beatrice Morrow and the girls, Gideon Morrow was guaranteed a cell in Azkaban.

An interoffice memo came soaring through the open window at the top of her door, and Ginny managed to reach out and grab it right before it jabbed her in the eye. "Damn memos. Someone's going to lose an eye someday," she mused. She unfolded the paper airplane and began to read the note from Draco's assistant. 'Miss Weasley,' it began, 'Lucius Malfoy has been pardoned. The Minister would like you decide if this should be reported to the press or kept quiet.'

_That crooked bastard pardoned his father? And I'm supposed to justify it?_ She grabbed the parchment in front of her, jumped out of her chair and marched directly to Draco's office.

His secretary, a tall gorgeous blonde, waved her through when she saw the determined look in Ginny's eyes.

Ginny knocked quickly on his door while pushing it open.

Draco looked up, the surprise on his face clearly evident. "Ginny?" he said. "I'm sorry; did we have an appointment?" He looked down at his schedule on his desktop.

"No," she said abruptly. "But I'm hoping you'll have a few moments for me, just the same." She took the seat in front of his desk and leveled a glare at him. "You had Lucius _pardoned_?"

Draco returned Ginny's look with a steely glare of his own. "He's been ill for the last year. And he _is_ my father. Was I supposed to let him die there in Azkaban?"

"I can't believe I thought a politician could be honest! That was your plan all along, wasn't it? You _liar_!"

He sneered. "Does it make you feel better to tell yourself that? If _you_ were honest, you'd remember that I told you the complete truth about why I was running. But that would interfere with your jumping to conclusions, wouldn't it?" With a look of utter disgust, he added, "I guess not all of us can let go of our childhood prejudices."

Ginny's face turned red and she tried to resist stomping her foot. "How _dare_ you? I quit!"

Draco smirked--actually smirked. "Fine."

"What?" Ginny felt a tiny bit let down at his lack of reaction. Shouldn't he have been at least a little upset? "Fine. Great. I'll go clean out my desk - and good luck finding someone to replace me."

"You're the best - it's why I hired you." He came around the desk, and for some reason the way he moved towards her made her want to edge backwards towards the nearest escape route. "But, since you quit... You did quit, right? Effective immediately, no second thoughts?"

Crossing her arms defensively but refusing to actually back away from him, she sneered, "You wish."

That brought out a smile, although not a pleasant one. "Actually, I don't. You see, while I appreciate your valuable contributions as one of my underlings--"

Her outraged response was cut off as he stepped next to her, then moved so he was standing directly behind her. His breath was hot on her skin as he said, "I can hire more underlings for a lot less than I'd have to pay out when you sued me for sexual harassment."

"_What?_" She was repeating herself, and feeling a bit stupid - all right, maybe a lot stupid, because there wasn't a thought in her head that wasn't centered around the way his body was just barely touching hers and how if he just leaned forward a fraction, he'd be kissing her neck.

He bypassed her neck, moving to capture her lips in a bruising kiss, and she found herself kissing him back with matching fervor. His hands were running through her hair and she leaned her head back, allowing his searching mouth full access to her neck, moaning as he accepted her invitation to explore.

His hands moved greedily over her chest, searching out the buttons of her shirt, and making short work of them, he pushed the shirt off her arms and grinned at the sight of the black satin corset Ginny was wearing underneath her shirt. "Miss Weasley," he said, his voice deep. "If I'd known what you were hiding under your prim little blouses, I'd have fired you weeks ago."

She should've been offended, but his lips moved back over hers and she gave herself up to the confusion and desire that swirled through her mind and body. Moaning, she wrapped her arms around him and let him carry her to the chaise in the corner of his office. Their clothes were discarded--with the exception of the corset--and amidst gasps and moans, they found their completion in each other, only stopping when they were too exhausted to keep moving, and every inch of her body was simultaneously aching and humming with pleasure.

"I'm glad I quit," Ginny whispered softly in Draco's ear. "But we're going to talk later about my severance package. And I expect a glowing recommendation letter."

He laughed. "You quit, you don't get a severance package. And I can only recommend you in your professional capacity. Otherwise the randy bastards out there would be beating a path to your door."

"It was worth a try," she said with a shrug that had interesting effects over the top of the corset. "But let's talk later," she suggested. "We have more pressing things to deal with now."

"Indeed," he said, his smile lascivious as he wrapped her in his arms once again, "we do."


End file.
